Jahan Dotson Q&A: Penn State picks, love for video games and ‘the most fun year of football in my life’
The Eagles wide receiver says he's the "king of College Football 25," and reveals the thing he would change if he was an NFL owner.
Wide receiver Jahan Dotson joined host Jeff McLane on the latest episode of The Inquirer’s Eagles podcast, unCovering the Birds, to talk about his time at Penn State, how this season with the Eagles compares to his time with the Commanders and his love for video games.
Here’s an excerpt from McLane’s “Pick Six” segment with Dotson …
Q: If you were an NFL owner, what would be one thing you would change about the league?
Dotson: I would say one thing that I would [change], every team’s training facility needs to be up to date. Every single team in the NFL. You shouldn’t go anywhere where you feel like you’re back in high school. I feel like there’s just so much money in the NFL, a billion-dollar business, so, I feel like every team should be up to date, state of the art. No reason it shouldn’t.
Q: The ice cream from Penn State’s Berkey Creamery or the sticky buns from Ye Olde College Diner? Which one are you going with?
Dotson: Creamery ice cream.
» READ MORE: Saquon Barkley Q&A: From his favorite Penn State traditions to his desire to be ‘the next Michael Strahan’
Q: Better landmark: Mount Nittany or the Nittany Lion shrine?
Dotson: Shrine, for sure. We had some crazy fun nights around the shrine. I can’t speak too much on them. Some good memories, for sure.
Q: Better event: The White Out or THON?
Dotson: That’s tough. I’m going to say THON. THON is like, it’s such a cool event just because you see — like football games are cool because a lot of football fans come together. Like you get a lot of the Penn State alum and everyone is cheering for the football team. But THON is like the whole Penn State community. People that you’ve never seen before, you get to interact with and you’re all chasing a common goal of giving back to the kids. So, I feel like that one trumps the White Out.
Q: Best tradition: The “We Are” chant or the blue, white plain, no-names-on-the-back uniforms?
Dotson: “We Are” chant.
Q: The most iconic play: The Barkley Bounce or the LaVar Leap?’
Dotson: Oh, I hate to say it but the LaVar Leap. I feel like he’s the one who kind of started the ST1X thing [No. 11]. So, just to have an iconic play that he kind of cemented himself in that number in a legacy that has been going on with that number.
» READ MORE: Jahan Dotson as he faces his old team is focused on making the most of his Eagles opportunities
Q: What’s the best Jahan Dotson moment at Penn State?
Dotson: I would say either the one-hand catch against Ohio State or breaking the single-game record for receiving yards. I would probably say the one-handed catch though.
Q: Obviously, because you’re the third option here you haven’t really been able to show your wares for various reasons. But when you got the opportunity in the final game of the season — seven catches, 94 yards. Despite that, what have you loved best about your time being here since the trade?
Dotson: It’s crazy, we were literally just talking about this yesterday. Me, Jordan Davis, a bunch of guys on the bus going to practice. I can totally agree with them on that this has been the most fun year of football in my life. Just as far as the team, it feels like I’m back in college again. The team is so close, especially our room, like our receiving room. Me, A.J. [Brown], Smitty [DeVonta Smith], Parris [Campbell], we’re so close. Even the young guys Ainias [Smith], Johnny [Wilson], everyone is just so close. When you all are chasing a common goal, you feel like you’re doing it with your brothers, not just your teammates. I mean it’s pretty special. We come here and I hate to say it but some days, my rookie year I felt like I was coming to work. Here, it’s like I’m coming here to do something that I love to do, do something that I have fun doing and do something that I love doing with a lot of great people around me. It’s been a special year. Even though individual success hasn’t been there, it hasn’t shown stats wise, but I feel like I’ve grown as a player a lot just being here and as a person, for sure.
Q: Were you the Commanders' emergency-emergency quarterback? Because I’ve been going on a crusade to find out who it is here. Are you the guy?
Dotson: I would like to think I am. I don’t know who it would be, to be honest … I can sling it for sure. I was a quarterback in high school for a little bit. I think I had a perfect freaking completion percentage at Penn State. I mean we might have something in the trick bag, but I would like to think of myself as the emergency quarterback.
Q: I know you have a huge love for video games, which isn’t something huge for guys your age, but apparently you’re pretty good at them. Do you match up with anybody here? What’s your favorite game? Who’s a guy who gives you a run for your money?
Dotson: Right now, I’m the king of College Football 25 in here. I’ve been beating up on guys recently. A.J., Parris like every day, he’s getting tired of me, he won’t even play me anymore. A.J. Woods, KJ Henry. Tariq [Castro-Fields] definitely gives me the best run. And then we play Call of Duty a lot. That’s like the cool thing about when we go home, we’re going to all our families and stuff and we can still connect on the game. Like me and A.J. and Smitty all get on and play with each other. It’s definitely pretty cool and you get that inner child in everyone that comes out on the game and the mic. So, it’s really fun.